Last week, a judge noticed that the project has gotten out of control by violating the rules of the proposition originally approved by voters, skirting the required environmental clearances required for construction, and, oh yeah — not actually having any planned source of funding for anything beyond the proposed network’s first leg. From the WSJ:

Last Friday, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Kenney ruled that California’s high-speed rail authority had violated the letter of the 2008 ballot initiative authorizing $10 billion in bonds for the 500-mile train’s construction. To wit, the authority didn’t identify funding sources for the $31 billion required to build the 290-mile “initial usable segment” from Madera to the San Fernando Valley. Nor did the authority obtain necessary environmental clearances.

“The Court concludes that the Authority abused its discretion by approving a funding plan that did not comply with the requirements of law,” wrote Judge Kenney, adding that the authority’s argument that it had complied with the law’s requirements was “unpersuasive.” The Judge didn’t go so far as to issue a writ of mandamus stopping the appropriation of state funds, though his ruling sets the ground for a writ after more hearings are held.

The judge is looking to have some more hearings on the matter before he issues a decision on what to do about it, but Gov. Jerry Brown is determined to not let such mundane details derail his plans.

Gov. Jerry Brown said Monday that California’s high-speed rail project will not be stopped by a judge’s ruling that project officials failed to comply with provisions of Proposition 1A, the initiative in which voters approved initial funding for the project in 2008.

“It’s not a setback,” Brown told reporters at the Lake Tahoe Summit.

He said the ruling “didn’t stop our spending, so we’re continuing. As we speak we’re spending money, we’re moving ahead.”

[T]he discussion of funding under existing federal programs such as the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program and Passenger Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 explicitly recognizes that both programs are funded through the annual federal General Fund appropriations process, and that “…the appropriations process makes the timing and amount of funding more uncertain [than programs funded through a dedicated trust fund] at best.” Thus, to “increase the potential” of actually obtaining funding through these programs, “…the Authority and other California officials will need to team with other states and high-speed rail stakeholders across the nation to promote high-speed rail as a program of national interest.”

This discussion makes it clear that funding from these sources cannot reasonably be expected to be available without significant further work and legislative advocacy, and that, in reality, there were no anticipated or expected commitments, authorizations, agreements, allocations, or other means of receiving such funds at the time the Authority approved the funding plan. …

And etcetera. In other words: How is it, exactly, that you intend to pay for this whole mess? ‘Cause I’m not seeing it.

Ignoring the courts / judges and ignoring the law still will not uncover the ~$100 billion this program demands – and California does not have the money regardless of how wealthy the citizens of the state are.

See? The left never cares about court rulings unless they agree with them. They never care about any law either. The right needs to get a clue. The Democrat party is a lawless party.

Now when the Supreme Court rules in favor of ObamaCare or some other left law.. GOP leaders bow and declare “It’s the law of the land.”
Not the Democrat party, tho.

Another thing.. I am sick of hearing how government agencies and programs can’t be repealed or ended. I keep hearing “We gotta stop it now because if we don’t it will be too late and we’ll never get it repealed!” I understand that sure.. but it’s a self fulfilling prophesy. The Dems never think like that. No mountain is ever too high for a leftist to climb if it will lead to bigger government.

I just wonder how high the stack of Injuctions on this judge’s desk reach?
And the back-up stack of Contempt Citations?
It is a complete surprise that Jer can fit HSR into his demanding court schedule dealing with prison inmates.

As Ed has meticulously pointed out over the last few years, California’s grandiose plans for a high-speed rail transportation system have portended little more than an expensive and impractical boondoggle from the get-go — but let that not deter progressive pipe dreams.

Last week, a judge noticed that the project has gotten out of control by violating the rules of the proposition originally approved by voters, skirting the required environmental clearances required for construction, and, oh yeah — not actually having any planned source of funding for anything beyond the proposed network’s first leg. From the WSJ:

The heart wants what the heart wants.

.

And what the heart wants is to be just like Europe!

Well, except for nuclear power. And banning abortions after 6-12 weeks. No nukes, and no restrictions on abortion! But otherwise, just like Europe! Oh, and except for lower corporate tax rates. No nukes, no restrictions on abortion, and juicy high corporate tax rates. But otherwise, just like Europe!

That’s an average of 936 feet, or about 3 football fields, between stops. The trolley would be lucky to get up to 25 mph before it has to slow down for the next station, and it probably averages around 10 mph including stoppage time. I could go faster on a bicycle.

Of course you are. You wont let something like the law stop you! Laws are for mere peasants. Jugears is the master at ignoring theaw and spending money.

Also, Brown is sounding a lot like Filbert here. Why is it that Libs think that all their efforts are always ‘moving’ their constituents ‘ahead’? The only thing this will do is run their state over the cliff faster. As fast as a bullet train.